Abstract
During the first year of life, normally developing infants progress from single to multiple object play, from indiscriminate to discriminate use of objects, and from nonsymbolic to symbolic play. The object play behaviors which define this developmental progression were examined in 20 handicapped infants (mean CA = 11 months; mean DA = 7.7 months) and in 20 nonhandicapped infants. The nonhandicapped infants were seen twice—once when the mean developmental age matched that of the handicapped group, and once when the mean chronological age matched that of the handicapped group. The infants were videotaped during 20 minutes of play with their mothers in a controlled environment. Infant play was coded with a modified version of the coding scheme employed by Belsky and Most (1981) who reported that the categories defined a developmental sequence of play. Results revealed that the types and levels of object exploration and play which have been observed in nonhandicapped infants in this and other studies were observed in the handicapped infants at comparable developmental ages. The amount of time spent in object play, however, was less for the handicapped group than for the nonhandicapped group when the groups were of the same mean developmental age and of the same mean chronological age. Play level was positively related to developmental age for each group of infants at each assessment.
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